1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to door and window alarm switches and more particularly to an exterior mounted door or window alarm switch adapted to be mounted on existing door or window systems with little or no modification and connected to conventional alarm systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Alarm systems for indicating when doors are opened or closed are well known. Some such alarm systems are responsive to the opening and closing of the door itself, while others are responsive to the opening and closing of a dead bolt or a door latch.
Systems that are responsive to the opening and closing of a dead bolt or door latch generally are incorporated into a special door latch or dead bolt system that is substituted for a conventional door latch system that might already be in existence on the doors in an existing installation. Installation of equipment of this nature is a costly and time-consuming procedure.
One type of switch system for indicating when a dead bolt or door latch is closed employs a microswitch mounted in the recess in the door frame for the door latch or dead bolt. Such microswitches are very small and lightweight and are easily damaged by the type of rough treatment many doors receive.
One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide an alarm switch for a door latch or dead bolt that can be used with virtually any pre-existing door latch system and can be mounted on an exterior portion of the door or door frame so that tiny and easily damaged microswitches do not have to be used in the installation. It is an objective of the present invention to provide a simple, rugged alarm switch mechanism that can be used to easily and inexpensively retrofit virtually all of the doors in an existing installation, without requiring any complicated new door hardware and without requiring a completely new alarm system.